I Came Back for You
by Darkfangz13
Summary: Jack's not the first one to make that incredible sacrifice. Revealed! The source of Ianto's vast knowledge! Companion!Ianto. Jack/Ianto.


I Came Back for You

"How many times, Jack, do I have to tell you? I know everything!" Ianto exaggerated with a chuckle, nudging Jack in the side, causing the other man's steps to sway a little. "Bet you I can even guess the preferred colour socks the Time Lord wears."

"Oh, now you're just showing off!" Jack responded with a laugh, nudging him right back.

"And now you're making us look like drunks." Ianto droned, recovering from the minor assult. "Can't even walk in a straight line."

"Not with you poking me in the ribs, no." Jack threw back, snaking an arm around Ianto's waist. "How _do _you know everything that you know, Jones, Ianto Jones?" Ianto just sent him an enigmatic smile and continued walking.

Their stroll was abruptly interrupted by a screechy-wheezy sound that made Jack freeze in his tracks. Ianto merely raised his eyebrows. They shared a look. "Smart money's on..." Ianto contemplated on his reply. "... bright orange."

Jack couldn't stifle an amused snort. "Bright, orange socks, huh?" They jogged across the Plass to where the TARDIS now stood. Jack pounded eagerly on the door. "Doctor!"

The door opened and the Time Lord himself stood before them in all his spastic glory. "Jack! Good to see you a again!" Then he caught sight of Ianto. "Ianto..." The alien looked a little shell-shocked at the sight of the Welshman.

Ianto nodded his head amiably. "Doctor."

"Sorry, weird question here..." Jack cut in. "... what colour socks are you wearing?"

The Doctor blinked at Jack for a moment, then looked askance at Ianto who just shrugged his shoulders. Then he pulled the edge of his pant trousers up an inch or two.

"Orange socks! You've done it again Mister Jones!" Jack laughed in amazement. "Not only do you know what kind of coffee blend people like, you can also guess the colour of their socks."

The Doctor burst out into laughter. "If he told you _how_ he knew that, you'd be more suprised!"

Jack swung around to stare, wide-eyed at Ianto. "Okay, give me. How did you know?"

"An educated guess, Sir." Ianto smiled mildly.

"Come on, Ianto." Jack wheedled.

"We'd better go. Pleasure to see you, Sir." Ianto directed at The Doctor, taking slight pleasure in watching the Time Lord bristle at the honorific.

"Careful, Yan, he doesn't like being called..." Jack's sentence was quickly cut off by The Doctor.

"Oh, believe me, he knows." The alien growled annoyedly.

"Well, then! If you will excuse me... _Sir_." Ianto smirked and nodded his salutations before walking away.

"So, what was that about?" Jack asked The Doctor, nudging him in the ribs.

"A time that never was." The Doctor smiled reminiscently, fondly, even. Jack looked at him suspiciously.

"You coming, Jack?" Ianto called out over his shoulder.

Jack bid a hasty goodbye to The Doctor and rushed after the archivist. "So," Ianto raised his eyebrow in mock-curiosity as Jack fell into step with him. "what was with all that business with The Doc? I get the distinct impression that you know something I don't."

"I can't say that, that isn't a feeling you have many a time, Sir." Ianto joked, Jack pouted at him. "I would say 'lover's quarrel' but you'd only get mad." Ianto smiled innocently at Jack's flabbergasted expression.

"I thought you didn't know The Doctor."

"You _assumed_, Sir. And, you assumed wrongly." Ianto shrugged his shoulders.

"So, you two have a history?"

"The birth of two planets, one end of the world, there was even one time he accidentally got impregnated in much the same way as Gwen! There was also that business with Apollo 13, failed their mission due to alien interference, but at least we got all the people back to Earth safely." Ianto rambled casually. "And then there was one very nasty row."

Jack waited for Ianto to elaborate, but he didn't. "What happened?"

Ianto shrugged his shoulders carelessly. "Nothing much, I fell in love with a human and nearly caused the end of the world."

"Can't imagine he was too happy about that."

"Nope, not in the slightest." Ianto grimaced. "And then, on a purely coincidental basis, that human that I had the unfortunate displeasure of falling in love with, ended up being a time agent.

Jack's eyes widened in surprise.

"And then, we had our row, The Doctor dropped me off at the exact moment I first met him and our travels never were." Ianto frowned a bit. "A few years later, the man went on to be a... what was it, The Doctor called him? A fixed point in time and space, an... abomination. Funny thing is, it seemed The Doctor had a hand in making him that way. It was years before I finally reunited with the time agent... former-time agent, by that time. It was after Canary Warf." Ianto had a playful twinkle in his eye.

Jack stared at him unbelieveingly for a moment. "What about Lisa?" Jack asked.

Ianto inclined his head thoughtfully. "I won't lie, Jack. I loved her. I only met you once before Torchwood III, can't say I had it in me to wait years for a complete stranger." he quirked an eyebrow up. "As romantic as the thought is, though."

"But... _you_! A _companion_!" Jack shook his head in amazement. "Didn't see that one coming."

"Well, now you've solved the mystery about the source of my vast knowledge." Ianto smiled slightly.

"Orange socks..." Jack grimaced.

"Hated them." Ianto laughed. "He'd always wear orange socks and in response, I'd always call him 'Sir'."

"I hope there was nothing more to being a... _companion_ between you two." Ianto smiled at Jack.

"Is that jealousy I detect in your voice, Sir?" An amused lilt in the factotum's voice.

Jack opened his mouth to defend himself but end up sighing and shaking his head again in amazement. "You gave up traveling in time and space with The Doctor..."

"I believe, you also came back, Sir."

Jack threw his arm around Ianto's body. "You're right. I came back for you."

Ianto smiled back at him. "I doubt either of us regret that decision, Sir."

Jack stopped the Welshman's steps with a hand on his elbow and cupped the man's face, kissing him softly. "And I hope we never will."

Ianto smiled that secret, slightly smug smile that signified that he knew something everybody else didn't. "Believe me, Jack. We won't." Then he buried his face in Jack's shoulder and tightened their embrace.

"Never."

The End.


End file.
